York City fans, angry at council chief Steve Galloway's plans for moving the club to Huntington, tried to turn his first cycling ward meeting into a "Tour De Farce".
About a dozen supporters wearing club shirts - led by City mascot Yorkie - descended on Acomb Green on bikes to confront the Westfield councillor and City of York Council leader during his mobile "meet and greet" session.
They are angry about comments made by Coun Galloway during Tuesday's full council meeting.
He said the club's planned move to Huntington Stadium was still viable, but only if it is willing to retain the running track and back the council's own phased development plans for the site.
This would involve keeping the track and building temporary stands to bring the ground up to Football League standards, all funded by York City.
The club said it was "stunned" by the leader's claims and described the authority's proposal as "expensive, ludicrous and illogical".
Steve Ovenden, the man under the Yorkie suit, demanded answers from Coun Galloway at the impromptu meeting on the green.
He told the Evening Press: "We believe the council's plans for Huntington Stadium are a joke, so we've tried to turn Mr Galloway's cycling tour into a farce."
Mr Ovenden said Acomb Green was ideally suited for a running track.
"We want to show him (Coun Galloway) that we care about our club," he said.
"He came here wanting to talk about local issues and that's what we are doing. Acomb Green is ideal for a running track."
Fellow supporter Frank Ormston said Coun Galloway had declined to attend a planned open forum meeting organised by Friends of Bootham Crescent to discuss the issue. He said: "The council is just expecting York City to find millions of pounds which it simply does not have."
But Coun Galloway said: "They (the fans) have points to make and questions to ask and I was very happy to answer them.
"It added a bit of colour to the proceedings."
Meanwhile, councillors in Dringhouses, Woodthorpe and Westfield wards have been involved in the mobile ward meetings.
They cycle between a number of different venues, each a few minutes apart, to give residents their say on local issues.
Updated: 11:03 Friday, July 11, 2003
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